BIRMINGHAM, UK: The history of the “luckiest ship in the fleet,” the HMS Dido, comes to life in the new nonfiction, “HMS Dido: The End of an Era” (published by AuthorHouse UK), written by Tom Ashton, a friend of the HMS Dido Association.
In 1937, the people of Bolton, England, collected £1.2 million pounds in one week, which became known as Warship Week, to help finish the construction of the HMS Dido. The warship served throughout World War II in battles at Crete, Sicily and the South of France, among others. At the end of the war, she fired the very last shot.
In the years after the war, the HMS Dido represented the Royal Navy at a number of state functions. She carried the late queen mother to the Isle of Wight and represented the United Kingdom at the funeral of King Christian of Denmark. In 1953, she was honored as the flagship of the reserve fleet at Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation revue.
“HMS Dido” includes detailed descriptions of the cruiser’s movements as well as interviews with former crewmembers. Through his book, Ashton hopes to provide an engaging read for all history and naval readers.